Highly Stable X-ray imaging Enabled by rare earth based double perovskite scintillators

Abstract

The demand for high-temperature scintillator detectors in petroleum exploration, space exploration and other fields is considerable. However, common high-temperature scintillator detectors based on NaI(Tl) exist many issues such as poor humidity stability and complex processing. In this study, we present Cs₂Na(Er_0.4Yb_0.6)Cl₆ double perovskite as a promising alternative, demonstrating its resistance to thermal quenching within the range of room temperature to 500 K. The double perovskite scintillator shows a light yield of 20,000 photons/MeV at 500 K, because of the cross-relaxation between Yb and Er ions. By mixing Cs₂Na(Er_0.4Yb_0.6)Cl₆ with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), we produced a flexible film boasting a resolution of 12 lp/mm. Notably, this film demonstrates better imaging performance under high-temperature conditions compared with that of under room temperature, showcasing its potential for high-temperature imaging applications. Moreover, our findings offer insights into the design of novel scintillators resistant to thermal quenching.